Married in a Daze - Chapter 143
Chapter 143
Qin Zhenzhen didn't know what Lu Ruyun and Jian Mu had talked about. She only knew that since finishing the call with him, Lu Ruyun's mood had improved considerably. The gloom between her brows had lessened a great deal the moment they stepped into the apartment. He Shuangshuang walked over, puzzled. "Ruyun?"
Lu Ruyun looked up and smiled at He Shuangshuang. "What's wrong?"
He Shuangshuang frowned and asked, "What's the plan with the situation?"
Lu Ruyun's red lips parted, uttering four words. "Watch and wait."
He Shuangshuang stared at her blankly, then glanced at Qin Zhenzhen. Both of their expressions held a touch of confusion. After hanging up the phone, Lu Ruyun also asked Qin Zhenzhen for the contact information for Lanyi.
Qin Zhenzhen simply watched her bustle about, making one call after another.
She and He Shuangshuang simply ignored her and checked the online situation. Previously, Meng Xin had said that Jian Mu would hold a press conference soon, but as evening approached, no such conference had materialized. There wasn't even any response online, letting the snowball of public opinion roll bigger and bigger.
Meng Xin had called several times to reassure her, telling her not to worry and that she would contact Jian Mu again herself.
Watching Lu Ruyun's confident and strategic demeanor, Qin Zhenzhen actually ended up comforting Meng Xin not to worry. She had a feeling Lu Ruyun had pulled something.
It probably had something to do with Jian Mu's press conference.
Lu Ruyun didn't deny it either, just nodded. Before she could speak, another call came through for her. She glanced at Qin Zhenzhen and He Shuangshuang before going to the window to answer.
Online, because there was no statement from Qin Zhenzhen or Jian Mu—in fact, neither of them made a peep—the noise grew louder and louder. Some media, having forgotten the lessons from before, even began re-posting the story.
The fans of Qin Zhenzhen and Jian Mu, while sniping at each other over this matter, were united on one battlefield: resolutely refusing to admit there was any relationship between the two. Meanwhile, netizens stirring trouble, eager to see chaos, posted all sorts of speculative guesses, both true and false. Fake stories flew all over the internet. Marketing accounts tied to the magazine that broke the news also quickly swung into action.
Seeing neither Qin Zhenzhen nor Jian Mu speak out, they insisted that the two must be discussing countermeasures, or that soon a statement would emerge announcing that Qin Zhenzhen and Lu Ruyun had already divorced.
Such cases weren't unheard of in the entertainment industry; several celebrities had used this method before.
The problem was, netizens weren't fools either. They declared in droves that if Qin Zhenzhen and Lu Ruyun dared announce a divorce, they would dare to flame them for it!
—That's right! I'll lead the flaming charge! Weren't they just selling their sweet couple image a couple of days ago? Now they're suddenly talking divorce?
—What nonsense are you spouting? You're all so good at wild assumptions. Did Zhenzhen say she was divorcing Cloud Fairy?
—The narrative is being pushed so hard. It's just a few photos, how does that make you think Zhenzhen and Jian Mu are having an affair?
—Qin Zhenzhen's fans are just blind. I wonder when you'll wake up. The photos are literally slapping you in the face. What more do you want? Do they need to release photos of them in bed?
—Keep it clean up there. Go brush your teeth if you haven't; your words stink!
—This is gonna be a face-slapping moment. Let's see who gets slapped this time, Qin Zhenzhen herself or her fans.
Qin Zhenzhen was staring at the comments, not yet having time to mutter to herself, when her phone was confiscated by Lu Ruyun. Lu Ruyun said to her, "Don't go online for the next couple of days. If there's any problem, I'll contact Sister Meng to handle it."
He Shuangshuang stepped forward. "What about me!"
Lu Ruyun smiled at her. "You can go back and rest."
He Shuangshuang: "..."
After being dismissed by Lu Ruyun, He Shuangshuang left reluctantly, looking back over her shoulder every few steps. "Are you sure you don't need me? I have connections too!"
"If worse comes to worst, I can ask my brother for help?"
"Ruyun, don't try to tough it out on your own."
For once, He Shuangshuang was rambling on. Lu Ruyun just patted her shoulder. "Shuangshuang, I'll handle this quickly."
If it weren't for this incident with Jian Mu, the matter of Zhenzhen and Jing Rui would indeed be tricky. But Jian Mu's unexpected exposure actually gave her a flash of inspiration, and an idea naturally took shape.
She had just contacted SP and Lanyi and negotiated terms. She was just waiting for the right timing.
Seeing Lu Ruyun speak so decisively, He Shuangshuang quieted down and nodded. "Alright. Contact me if you need anything."
Lu Ruyun smiled at her. "Okay."
Qin Zhenzhen stood behind Lu Ruyun, watching her calm and composed demeanor. After He Shuangshuang left, she pursed her lips and asked, "Ruyun, what are you planning to do?"
Only after He Shuangshuang's figure disappeared from view did Lu Ruyun turn to look at Qin Zhenzhen. "I'm planning to get you out."
Qin Zhenzhen was slightly stunned, not immediately grasping the meaning of her words. Before she could react, she was pulled into an embrace. Lu Ruyun closed the apartment door with one hand while holding Qin Zhenzhen with the other.
She had wanted to hug her ever since they returned, but with Shuangshuang present and too many loose ends to tie up, she hadn't followed her heart's desire. Now, with everything prepared and only waiting for the right moment, she felt at ease and hugged Qin Zhenzhen tightly.
Qin Zhenzhen tilted her head back, returning the embrace, trusting every decision she made from the bottom of her heart.
Compared to the stormy winds and endless rumors outside, the atmosphere in the apartment was quite pleasant. Lu Ruyun hadn't been back for a few days. After sharing a tender moment with Qin Zhenzhen, she finally got up to make dinner. Qin Zhenzhen, wrapped in her pajamas, came out looking somewhat drowsy. "I don't want to eat."
Lu Ruyun walked over to her, took her wrist, and settled her at the dining table. "Dinner will be ready in a bit."
Qin Zhenzhen nodded, staring at Lu Ruyun's slender back as she busied herself in the kitchen. The frustration that had been weighing on her heart completely vanished, slowly replaced by a warm flow that seeped into every corner of her body.
Lu Ruyun stir-fried the last dish, poured it over noodles, and immediately a fragrant aroma wafted through the air. Qin Zhenzhen, who had little appetite before, found her mouth watering at the smell.
The two finished their noodles while watching a variety show on TV. Qin Zhenzhen glanced sideways at the television and thought for a moment before asking, "You contacted Lanyi earlier?"
Lu Ruyun took a sip of soup and looked up at her. Without makeup, her features appeared even more dignified and elegant.
"Mm. I contacted SP as well."
Qin Zhenzhen wiped the corner of her mouth with a napkin. "How did it go?"
Seeing her slightly furrowed brows and worried expression, Lu Ruyun smiled. "Very smoothly."
Hearing this, Qin Zhenzhen relaxed her shoulders and didn't press further, simply saying, "That's good."
After dinner, Qin Zhenzhen went to clean up the dishes. Lu Ruyun watched TV for a while and, before Qin Zhenzhen returned, went online briefly. She saw that all the entertainment gossip headlines had been replaced with Qin Zhenzhen and Jian Mu's names. Many media outlets had also tagged her. Watching the boiling, noisy uproar online, the light in her eyes gradually deepened.
By the time Qin Zhenzhen emerged from the kitchen, Lu Ruyun had already put her phone away. They sat together on the sofa. Qin Zhenzhen nestled into Lu Ruyun's embrace, finding a comfortable spot, too lazy to move an inch.
Leaning against Lu Ruyun's softness, she rubbed her cheek against the soft chest and pursed her lips. "So comfortable."
Lu Ruyun looked down at her cat-like demeanor, her lazy posture, and couldn't help but tighten her arm around her waist. The two snuggled together. Qin Zhenzhen asked, "Is everything okay with your promotional schedule?"
"It's fine. I've already spoken with Qiuhan."
Qin Zhenzhen gave a soft 'mm'. "Is Director Duan doing alright?"
Lu Ruyun nodded. "He's okay."
At least on the surface, he seemed okay. As for how he truly felt inside, only he probably knew.
Qin Zhenzhen also realized she had asked a silly question. How could he possibly be okay? Even an outsider like her could see his feelings for Zhang Yiyao. How could he recover in such a short time?
But for now, she could only use these silly questions to distract herself.
Lu Ruyun seemed to realize this too. She lowered her eyelids, looking at Qin Zhenzhen's pouting expression, and parted her lips to say, "Zhenzhen, do you remember what happened between you and me last year?"
Qin Zhenzhen was taken aback by the sudden question and frowned. "Which thing?"
Too many things had happened between her and Lu Ruyun last year; she couldn't immediately pinpoint which one.
Lu Ruyun looked down at her. "The video incident."
Qin Zhenzhen thought for a few seconds. "I remember. Why..."
She stopped mid-sentence, asking back in a puzzled tone, "You want to reuse the same trick?"
Lu Ruyun nodded. "But this time, we need to use stronger medicine."
After all, to Jing Rui now, Qin Zhenzhen was no longer just a rising star; she was their cash cow. Times had changed; her significance was different. If they used the same small-scale tactics as last year, it probably wouldn't have much impact. That's why she had contacted Lanyi and SP.
Qin Zhenzhen was also clever. With just a little hint from her, she understood the intention. After thinking it through, she smiled and pursed her lips. "Teacher Lu, you're a genius!"
Hearing her praise, a hint of a smile appeared at the corners of Lu Ruyun's eyes. She picked up her phone from the coffee table, turned on the screen, and said to Qin Zhenzhen, "Zhenzhen, you should take a look at these companies."
Jing Rui wasn't the industry leader. Entertainment companies were now a dime a dozen, too many to count. But aside from a few established ones, most of the newly emerged companies weren't ideal. It was common for companies to hold artists back.
After contacting SP and Lanyi, Lu Ruyun had researched several companies and finally picked out two.
Upon hearing this, Qin Zhenzhen tossed her phone back onto the coffee table without hesitation. "Look at what?"
"Of course, I'm joining Teacher Lu's studio."
Lu Ruyun let out a soft laugh, seemingly amused by her. She shook her head immediately. "Zhenzhen, my studio has just started. It has nothing, let alone resources. What you need now is a company that can actually help your career."
If it were last year's Qin Zhenzhen, she might have signed her without hesitation to rebuild her. But now, things were different from before.
Qin Zhenzhen looked at her sideways, smiling. "Teacher Lu, are you doubting my capabilities?"
She couldn't guarantee other promises, but when it came to resources, she wasn't lacking.
Back when she signed with Jing Rui, there was some intention of finding shelter under a big tree, thinking Jing Rui would provide many opportunities. Little did she expect that after signing, it was basically just her and Meng Xin fighting alone.
Last year, when renewing her contract, she had been angry and wanted not to sign. But at that time, she was being trashed online, and other companies didn't dare sign her. Helpless, she renewed.
She never expected it would be like picking up a rock only to drop it on her own foot.
The old saying about misfortune and fortune being intertwined was absolutely true.
Hearing her words, Lu Ruyun's fine brows drew tightly together. "Zhenzhen, coming to my studio is too risky."
Qin Zhenzhen moved slightly out of her embrace, meeting Lu Ruyun's bright eyes with a serious expression. "Teacher Lu, I want to be reckless just once too."
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